Jim Venkman
Charles "Charlie" Venkman (voiced originally by Lorenzo Music and later by Dave Coulier for episode "The Treasure of Sierra Tamale") is Dr. Peter Venkman's father and is also a known to be a con man, however not a very good one. History The Real Ghostbusters Charlie Venkman has dabbled in various commodities of questionable nature, none of them lasting for long. Still when one con fails, he's back in the game almost immediately with a new angle. He was never there for his wife nor son, Peter. He was always away during Christmas on business trips and thus, Peter eventually became indifferent to the holiday. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters-"X-Mas Marks the Spot " (1986) (DVD). (DVD ts. 02:39-02:41). Time Life Entertainment. In the 1980s, Peter has since re-evaluated his attitude toward Christmas and has reconciled with his father. He's still wary when Charlie shows up, as it usually means his dad is about to try roping the team into another one of his get rich quick schemes again. Charlie appeared in New York selling "Venkman's Ghost Repellers" but they don't do a thing as tested by using Slimer as a bull. The Repellers were simply a red poncho. Charlie felt no one was getting hurt by the con and there weren't any laws about ghosts to break. Peter assured them the Repellers would put give him perpetual litigation problems due to their last name being used and the connection to ghosts. Charlie promised to stop but he sold one last batch of Repellers to Dr. Mulch for his expedition to the New Jersey Parallelogram. Three days later, Charlie learned Mulch's expedition was missing. He felt guilty and raced to the East River Marina, rented a speedboat, and sped off to the Parallelogram to save Mulch. The Ghostbusters and the Coast Guard saved the expedition but Charlie was stranded deep within. The guys returned and saved Charlie. Charlie ended up in northern Alaska selling refrigerators to Eskimos. Charlie randomly stumbled upon the block of black ice that imprisoned Hob Anagarak. He wanted the Ghostbusters to remove Hob from the ice and trap it. He planned to put it on exhibit in the lower 48 states and make a fortune with his Eighth Wonder of the World. The Ghostbusters refused to help and neutronized the ice block. Charlie anticipated this and secretly swapped the ice block with a fake one. He and Dr. Bassingham partnered together bring Hob out of dormancy. Hob Anagarak was released in Madison Square Garden but it escaped containment and caused massive property damage to New York City. Charlie was volunteered to take part in an Eskimo ritual for binding spirits as the required trickster. Peter paid all of Charlie's fines and ordered him to go back home to Iowa and live an honest life on the family farm. Instead, he took a bus destined for Hollywood. It isn't known if Charlie was able to sell the movie rights or not. Years later, Charlie presented the Ghostbusters with another scheme to get rich by finding a treasure in Mexico. Ray and Slimer go along but soon get trapped. Then the rest of the Ghostbusters come and help. NOW Comics Peter told Shannon Phillips how his father was a con artist who could never con anyone. And he still resents his father never being there for him or his mother when she passed away. This resulted in Peter harboring a rather negative attitude towards Christmas. Relationship with Ghostbusters In The Real Ghostbusters, it is shown that Peter doesn't get along well with his father but does care about him. The rest of the Ghostbusters seem to like him to a degree, and are pretty civil to him. But they don't really trust him. Description Charlie dresses similar to a vaudeville-era con artist stereotype. He and Peter do share a slight family resemblance, both possess the same chin and facial features. However it appears Peter got his hair from his mother's side. Charlie has been known to wear a rather unconvincing toupee on occasion. Personality Charlie is not a bad person, he just can't make an honest buck. He has a outgoing personality sort of like his son Peter. He seems to care about his son even as he tricks and cons him. He causes conflict to all around due to his nature. The fast talker element of Peter's personality is definitely inherited from Charlie. Peter still displays a significantly higher degree of personal ethics than his father, as his knack for fast talking isn't directed towards defrauding others, just talking the team's way out of trouble, getting them the best business deal possible, and making himself look good to prospective women. Trivia *Charlie went to Hollywood to sell the movie rights to the Hob Anagarak incident. In Extreme Ghostbusters "Back in the Saddle, Part 1," it was revealed Peter did something similar, after the Ghostbusters was closed down for good, but for another Ghostbusters movie. Both appeared to be unsuccessful. *On page ten of Ghostbusters Issue #3, Charlie Venkman appears on an ad for Hob Anagarak. Appearances Ghostbusters *Ghostbusters: The Supernatural Spectacular (Film Novelization) **Pages 155 and 156 The Real Ghostbusters *"X-Mas Marks the Spot" **Charlie is mentioned. *"Venkman's Ghost Repellers" *"Ghost Busted" **Referenced only **After the call about swampland for sale, Peter thinks it was his dad. Peter Venkman (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Ghost Busted" (1986) (DVD ts. 02:35-02:36). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "Probably my dad." *"Cold Cash and Hot Water" *"A Ghost Grows in Brooklyn" **Peter mentions his father. Peter Venkman (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "A Ghost Grows in Brooklyn " (1986) (DVD ts. 09:50-09:51). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "My dad used to sell that door to door." *"Transylvanian Homesick Blues" **Peter briefly mentions his dad. Peter Venkman (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Transylvanian Homesick Blues " (1986) (DVD ts. 11:40-11:42). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "It's times like this I wish I listened to my dad!" *"The Treasure of Sierra Tamale" References Gallery CharlieVenkman3.jpg|In Alaska in "Cold Cash and Hot Water" CharlieVenkman4.jpg|In Madison Square Garden in "Cold Cash and Hot Water" CharlieVenkman2.jpg|"The Treasure of Sierra Tamale" CharlieVenkmanIDW3.jpg|Non-Canon Cameo in Ghostbusters Issue #3 Category:Minor character Category:RGB Characters